Assurant Extended Warranty Review: 7.5 out of 10
After conducting a thorough review of the company, Assurant did moderately well, but did not hit our top 10 list of extended warranty companies. Assurant has a pretty fair reputation in the warranty industry, especially with customers, and provides multiple coverage options.
However, the company is not upfront about particular details, not providing sample contracts on its website so that drivers can get an accurate idea of what its coverage would do for their vehicles. This is largely why Assurant got a 5 out of 10 for transparency.
| Overall Rating | 7.5 |
|---|---|
| Reputation | 8.6 |
| Coverage | 8.8 |
| Cost | 7.6 |
| Transparency | 5 |
| Customer Experience | 7.4 |
Our team reached out to Assurant for comment on its transparency score and overall rating. We received this response:
“As a Fortune 500 company, Assurant markets vehicle protection products through our trusted network of automotive dealer partners, which is why our website is oriented to that business-to-business relationship.
In turn, we equip our dealers with clear, comprehensive, and transparent marketing materials that they present to consumers as part of their automotive shopping and purchasing experience.
We train our dealer partners on the consistent use of those collateral materials to ensure that consumers are fully informed about the Assurant products available to protect their vehicles.”
About Assurant
Assurant Inc. is a risk-management solutions and insurance company founded in 2004 and headquartered in Miami. Assurant is a Fortune 500 company, providing insurance and warranty products in several industries including the automotive, device and casualty sectors.
Assurant Pros and Cons
Extended warranties can last up to 15 years/200,000 miles
Five warranty plans to choose from
Information about warranty plans isn’t easily available on the company’s website
You can only buy an Assurant warranty through a dealership or financial institution
Added benefits not available in all states
Assurant Extended Car Warranty Coverage
Assurant works primarily with dealerships and financial institutions, so it doesn’t make the details of its vehicle protection plans readily available on its website. Assurant’s contracts are under its program, called The Mechanic® 2.0, which offers five coverage options, each of which last up to 15 years/200,000 miles. This makes Assurant a solid choice if you’re looking for an extended warranty for a car with over 100,000 miles.
Assurant Extended Car Warranties
The five Assurant extended service plans are:
The table below shows a breakdown of what’s covered in each extended service contract.
| Vehicle Component | Platinum Plan |
Gold Plan |
Silver Plan |
Powertrain Plan |
Engine Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transmission | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FWD/AWD | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | Partial | |
| Hybrid/EV | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | Limited | |
| Fuel injection | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Seals/gaskets | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Front suspension | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Steering | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | ||
| Brakes | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | ||
| Electrical | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | ||
| Air conditioning | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | ||
| Rear suspension | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Cooling | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Fuel delivery | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Safety | ✓ | Partial | |||
| High-Tech | ✓ | ||||
| Entertainment | ✓ | ||||
| Convenience | ✓ | ||||
| Miscellaneous | ✓ |
Some coverage levels only offer partial or limited protection for certain vehicle components.
What’s Not Covered by an Assurant Extended Warranty?
Like most extended warranties, Assurant’s protection products don’t cover things like routine maintenance or components subject to regular wear and tear. This includes air conditioning refrigerant, all hoses and belts not specifically listed in your coverage contract, wiper blades and brake pads and shoes. Body parts and cosmetic accessories also aren’t covered.
Assurant Extended Warranty Added Perks
Each Assurant warranty plan comes with a few additional benefits. These include:
- Emergency roadside assistance: This provides 24/7 roadside assistance including towing services, lockout services and fuel deliveries at up to $100 per occurrence. Extrication services are not available in California.
- Rental reimbursement: This covers the cost of a rental car while your primary vehicle is in a repair shop. The benefit offers $35 per day for up to 10 days.
- Emergency travel expense reimbursement: If you experience a breakdown at least 100 miles from your home, this helps cover food, lodging and transportation. It offers $200 per day for a maximum of five days. This benefit is not available in New York.
- Manufacturer’s deductible reimbursement: This covers the difference between the plan deductible and any required manufacturer deductible.
Assurant Cost
Because Assurant doesn’t advertise its warranty plans on its website, the only way to know what a contract from the company will cost you is to contact a local participating dealership. We collected quotes from 10 of our top-rated warranty providers and determined that the average cost of an extended warranty is around $977 per year.
The table below shows the average costs in total and per year for different coverage levels:
| Coverage Level | Average Cost per Year | Average Total Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Exclusionary | $1,005 | $800 – $1,200 |
| Mid-level | $937 | $700 – $1,100 |
| Powertrain | $953 | $750 – $1,250 |
In our 2022 survey of 1,000 warranty customers, we found that most people paid between $1,500 and $3,500 in total for their extended coverage plan.
Factors That Affect Extended Warranty Costs
There are several factors that go into determining how much an extended warranty will cost. These include:
- Vehicle age
- Make and model
- Deductible amount
- Provider
- Coverage level
Quotes and Claims
Assurant doesn’t provide a quote tool on its website, so the only way to get an estimate of what you’re likely to pay for Assurant coverage is to visit a dealer that works with the company.
Assurant has a website specific to the claims process, where you can log in to your account and file a claim, check on your claim’s status or get roadside assistance. You can also download the Vehicle Care by Assurant® app to access the claims portal on your mobile device.
Assurant Extended Warranty Reviews
Assurant is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and holds an A+ rating from the organization. The company has an average star rating of 4.7 out of 5, but it’s good to keep in mind that the reviews are for the entirety of the company’s products, not just its warranty options.
Positive Reviews of Assurant
Customers who had positive experiences with Assurant tend to mention the seamless process for purchasing a warranty plan and filing a claim. They also cite good customer service from Assurant.
Negative Reviews of Assurant
Those people with negative reviews of Assurant extended warranties often complain about having to jump through hoops to get a claim accepted. Some point to poor customer service and others go as far as to claim Assurant services are a scam.
Assurant App Reviews
Assurant offers Vehicle Care by Assurant®, a mobile app designed to help Assurant customers centrally organize details about their car and protection plans. It manages contracts, claims and maintenance schedules all in one place.
The app has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on the Apple Store from 13 reviews. The rating on Google Play is a bit lower, with the app earning an average of 2.8 out of 5 stars from 19 reviews.
Our review team reached out to Assurant for a comment on its negative reviews and low Google Play score but did not receive a response.
Assurant Extended Warranty: The Bottom Line
We rate Assurant 7.5 out of 10. The company has a decent standing in the industry. Each Assurant warranty plan covers cars for up to 15 years/200,000 miles, but doesn’t make the information about its protection plans easily available. To get a quote or learn the exact terms and conditions of your warranty coverage, you must visit a participating dealer.
Recommendations for Extended Warranties
We recommend comparing several car warranty quotes when shopping for extended coverage. That way, you’ll get a better sense of what you’re likely to pay for the protection you need and be able to choose the company with the best price.
Endurance: Most Comprehensive Coverage
Endurance is our top choice for extended car warranties. The company is a direct provider of vehicle service contracts, meaning it administers all of its warranties and pays claims directly. Endurance offers six warranty options which range from bumper-to-bumper coverage to basic powertrain protection. For California drivers, Endurance offers mechanical breakdown insurance.
Read more: Endurance Warranty Review
Carchex: Great Industry Reputation
Carchex has been in business for over 20 years and has an excellent reputation. The company offers five different vehicle protection plans at decent prices. These plans offer extensive coverage, lasting as long as 10 years/250,000 miles and for vehicles up to 20 years old.
Read more: Carchex Review
Compare: Carchex vs. Endurance
Assurant Extended Warranty: FAQ
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Assurant extended warranties:
The easiest way to contact Assurant is to use its website or mobile app. You can either visit vehiclecareplan.com or download the Vehicle Care by Assurant® app for your phone or tablet.
Assurant doesn’t publish the cost of its warranty plans on its website. To find out how much you’re likely to pay, you’ll need to visit a participating dealership.
Assurant has an online portal for claims at vehiclecareplan.com. There, you can log in to your account to file a claim, check a claim status, manage your contracts or request roadside assistance. The Vehicle Care by Assurant® mobile app offers the same services.
Our Methodology
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best extended car warranty companies. We collected data on dozens of auto warranty providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
- Reputation: Our research team considers availability, ratings from industry experts and years in business when conferring this score.
- Coverage: Companies that offer a variety of choices for warranty coverage, long contract terms and added benefits are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Cost: Auto warranty companies with affordable rates and multiple deductibles scored highest in this category.
- Transparency: This score is based on contract transparency and the availability of a money-back guarantee.
- Customer experience: Based on customer satisfaction ratings and our extensive shopper analysis, we consider the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each warranty company’s customer service team.
Our credentials:
- 500+ hours researched
- 50 companies reviewed
- 2,000+ consumers surveyed
*Data accurate at time of publication.
link